My Own Reasons
by The-GREAT-TurtleKING
Summary: After another mistake just short of failure and seeing Renji once again be promoted, Ruki feels down. Then an accident occurs, causing Rukia to flee to the human world where she tries to start over as...a mom? NOT A PREGNANCY FIC
1. Chapter 1

My Own Reasons: After another mistake just short of failure and seeing Renji once again be promoted, Ruki feels down. Then an accident occurs, causing Rukia to flee to the human world where she tries to start over as...a mom? NOT A PREGNANCY FIC

Rukia could hear as two girls in her class talked, "Didn't you hear? Renji-senpais been promoted to..."

Attempting to drown out their conversation, Rukia collected the rest of her materials and made her way to the exit.

She sighed, as always Renji was being praised by the many students that surrounded her-after all he was practiacally a prodigy for a guy from the Rukan District. While Rukia, even though she grew up next to Renji, was still getting gossiped about and everyone of her promotions or aknowledgments due to an achievement were all chalked up to her being a member of the Kuichki household.

Walking along the courtyard, Rukia held her hand out to catch the cherry blossoms that had recently began to fall. Sighing again, she retracted her hand and continued walking home.

...

"I am home brother." Rukia announced at the door, heading toward the back of the house where she knew Byakyua would be sitting if he wasn't off on a mission. Knocking on the door before entering, she sat across from him at a table. With a bow she presented her latest grade report and waited as he picked up the paper and reviewed her progress.

"You are not doing so well in some of your studies." He declared.

"Yes brother."

"A problem soon to be resolved I presume,"

"Of course." With another bow, Rukia exited the room and sought for the privacy provided by her own bedroom.

The room of course, was simple. Too simple. The only real pictures she had were attached on the inside of one of the doors to a cabinet. The colors were all simple.

Rukia layed down on her mat and layed an arm over her face. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't cry.

Shaking her head, she got up and decided she would train for a bit. Grabbing her sword, she made her way to a training ground near the back of the house-one of which the rest of her family members would not be able to observe from any point inside the house.

After making sure the coast is clear, Rukia began to swipe away at the air before her. Each time she would change positions in a way that suggested each swipe was for a different enemy.

At the sky: Tall Hollow

On the ground: TIny Hollow

Jumping back: Dodging

Holding sword sideways: Defense

Quick swipes of sword: Offence

Rukia continued like this for a long time, until her head was finally cleared of all the stressors she had before.

Putting her sword away, Rukia made her way back into the house and into her own private bath.

...

After a while, the Kuchki household had all eaten and were preparing for bed. In Byakyua's case, he was preparing for a meeting with the rest of the captains. However, Rukia too was preparing for a night time training excercise.

Her class had all been exstatic when they first heard the news, Rukia was at first but then she was forced to hear about the accident that happened during the last excersice. One of which Renji had 'fought bravely'.

Rukia headed downstairs and gave a bow to her brother, walking out the door-but starting to run to ensure she would have time to spare once she got there.

...

Fortunatley, quite a few people had the same thought as Rukia. Many of her classmates were conversing with each other over the tactics needed to make a good grade. Some were even excited a the idea of killing their first hollow.

However, Rukia knew the size of the hollow would never be as big as the one Renji had faced during his training. Too many students had died then, while it was a surprise attack, it still diminished the number of future Soul Reapers.

Not long after she arrived, the sixth years appeared with further instructions. Once all was said and done, everyone was divided up into groups of three. Sadly enough, none of the students ever conversed with Rukia. Either they didn't because of her untraditional adoption into the Kuchki family, or they did with the ulterior motive of getting in good with the youngest Kuchiki family member.

It seemed to Rukia, she had both types of people in her group. One boy who absolutley hated how trash like her could be given a high class status and be allowed to graduate earlier without putting any effort in. While the other, was absolutley hanging off any detail she could give on Byakyua. Apparently, he wanted to become liutenant.

'Ha, sure- you become liutenant the day Renji gets promoted to King!' Rukia thought with a laugh.

Not at all on equal terms of introduction, her team prepared themselves for entering the world of the living.

...

'Where am I? What's happening? Where are you going? Don't leave me!' Rukia thought. 'H-how did I get like this?' She tried to move but her body layed still. 'That's right!'

After her team entered the world of the living, all of the teams took their positions and prepared themselves for the onslaught of hollows that would soon begin. This time, another accident happened.

Only...it wasn't a big allow-instead. Hundreds of small hollows. So small. Everything else happened in a flash. Her team broke apart. She got cornered. Everyone started to flee. The reenforcements didn't show up in time.

Rukia was now layed out in a secluded area, her Zanpakto was still fully gripped in her hands. She was forced to watch as every one of her classmates managed to escape with their lives. She shuddered as more small hollows crawled on her. All sucking out her spirit energy.

'This is it. I am going to die.'

...

The Captain's meeting for the night had been interuppted. Only to be informed, an attack of small hollows disarmed the students apart of the excercise and one student was missing. Presumedly she was dead.

"No," Captain Ukitake interupted. "Whoever this student is, she is not dead. In my own experiance these types of Hollows aren't large enough to consume a spirit whole. Instead they'll all take part in preserving her as they consume every last drop of her power. The unfortunate end to this is if she is not dead when we find her, she may be in a state of powerlessness."

"Meaning," Kenpachi asked.

"She may no longer have the power to become a Soul Reaper." Ukitatke said. The Captains and Liutenants were all silent.

"Who is this student?" Captain Aizen asked.

The Soul Reapers who were informing them hesitated.

"The female student that is currently missing from the class excercise and presumed dead...is none other than Rukia Kuchiki." One of them said.

...

"Don't get up so fast!" A voice scolded.

'Who...' Rukia thought as her head suddenly felt empty and she was left to collapse back onto the bed where she lay.

"This isn't safe Urahara. Byakyua will be looking for her." Another voice, this one gruffer than the first said.

"They won't be looking for someone they believe is dead." The voice from before said.

"They will if they are aware of the abilities of the smaller hollows."

"Then they'll search, if they can't find her-eventually they'll will give up. Its what happened to us."

"There are always exceptions."

"Yes, but I don't plan on forcing her to stay, once she's better she can choose to leave or not."

...

A few hours later Rukia woke, this time however, she didn't get up as suddenly as before. She slowly took the time to allow her eyes to get used to the light in the room. Then she tried to flex whatever limbs or muscles she could manage to.

'I have all my arms and legs, so thats a plus.' Rukia thought as she looked about the room. It was small compared to the one she was used to back at Byakyua's home. It wasn't as luxurious either, but not in the sence it could be called a dump or run down like her living quarters back in the Soul Society before she was adopted.

After a while, she finally tried to attempt to rise out of the bed she was in. No-not a bed. A mat. This little detail allowed her the knowledge of knowing what type of environment she was in. Whether she was still in the human world or back in the Soul Society was unclear however.

"Your up." A voice said, "How are you feeling?"

"What!" Rukia looked around. Nobody was in sight.

"I asked you, how are you feeling?" There was the voice again.

"What!" Rukia was up now, blanket thrown off and she was suddenly standing in the middle of the room. Looking around for the intruder. Where was her sword, she wondered.

"Calm down Rukia!"

"Where is the voice coming from?" Rukia asked herself out load.

"Down here."

"Huh?"

"Look down!" The voice ordered. So Rukia did.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU!" Rukia yelled as she backed into the wall. "A-A CAT!"

"Oh calm down would you, your not strong enough to be shouting and moving about so quickly." The cat told her.

"Cat," was all Rukia could mangage.

"Oh, quit your dramatics-its not the end of the world. There are captain's in the Soul Society in the form of animals y'know."

It took a while, but the cat was finally able to persuade her to crawl back into the bed and stop screaming.

"Now that you've stopped being a complete maniac. Shall we start with the introductions?" The cat asked and continued to speak after earnining a nod, "I am Yoruichi, my friend Urahara and I saved you from having all of your Spirit Energy sucked out by the small hollows."

"Yes, um...thank you for that." Rukia replied.

"Of course." Yoruichi nodded.

"Wait, your names...they sound familiar."

"I expect them to." Another voice said. Rukia looked to the door where a man, wearing a striped hat and a pair of clogs now stood.

Rukia realized immeditaley why the names sounded familiar.

"Your!"

"Yes." The man said and shrugged off whatever questions she was going to ask. "Now before you try to collect your zanpakto and make a run for it, there are a few things I need to explain to you."

"What?"

"First of all, you are currently in a town in Japan. A place apart of the world of the living if you didn't realize. Second of all, we saved you from the hollows because your survival may prove to be useful to us. Thirdly, the Soul Society thinks you are either dead or being held as a meal in the Hollows world." Urahara finished.

"What else is there?" Rukia asked.

"Huh?"

"You're leaving details out, besides what you have already told me, what else it there?"

"From the short time you were being fed on by the hollows and the amount of preservation they enacted on you- your spiritual pressure is quite low." He explained.

"How low?" She asked, gripping at the blanket Yoruichi had wrapped back around her.

"It may take a long time before you can again use your zanpakto." He said.

"Meaning?"

"If you don't take the right precautions, you may not ever be a real soul reaper again."

Rukia nodded. "Just tell me one last thing."

"Of course." Yoruichi said.

"How long was I being preserved?"

The two hesitated. "Why would you ask this."

"I once spoke to Captain Ukitake about such an occurence, he explained it to me. At one point in time a Soul Reaper was fed on for 10 whole years-and his already small spirit energy being drained made him a regular spirit and later killed him. Then another occurence, where another Soul Reaper was held for more than 100 years until somebody found their nest that he was set free. His spirit energy was high enough, that he could still be capable of achieving at least the fourth seat of a squad and live a long life in the Soul Society."

"This is true." Urahara agreed.

"Then, how long was I being preserved?"

Almost 40(Calculate time Ichigo's mom died to his fight with Byakyua) years." Yoruichi said.

"That long." Rukia said.

"I'm afraid so." Urahara responded.

"Then, my brother...and Renji."

"Can you blame them if they eventually moved on."

"I guess not."

"What my question is, is whether or not you're going to return to them."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you have a choice you know. You can either go home to them and live-"

"NO!" Rukia interuppted him.

"Rukia-"

"I can already sence how low my spiritual pressure is. I know at this rate, if I were to return to the Soul Society it would take years before I could begin training again and even then, I may never be able to achieve a high enough position to make my brother happy." She clutched at the blankets tighter as she said this.

"You are weak now, that much is true. However, I should let you know that the Reiastu in the Soul Society may cause you to recover quicker."

"I understand as much, but why should I?"

"Then would you like to hear an alternative I am able to provide to you?"

"You have my attention."

"You can accept a gigai by my own creation and live here in the human world.

To be continued in the next chapter...


	2. Chapter 2

I do not claim ownership of Bleach, its characters, or its original plot/story line.

"What you are explaining to me, is entirley irrational." Rukia crossed her arms.

"You already said that you don't want to return to the Soul Society. What other option is there?" Yoruichi exclaimed.

"There is nothing wrong with the idea of living in the human world, there is just one problem."

"Which is?" Urahara asked.

"Gigais are all traceable by the Soul Society."

"Honestly woman, have you already forgot the reason I got kicked out of the Soul Society."

"So what if I did," Rukia arms remained crossed as she looked away. "A detail as impartial as that must cetainly be useless to me."

"Geez, stop with the Kuchiki stubborness and just admit when you're wrong."

"Oh shut up why don't ya!" Rukia yelled.

"So how bout it then?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? Are you sure you aren't feeling homesick."

"Of course I am!"

"Wow, she admited it without hesitation." Urahara said to Yoruichi.

"Certainly impressive." Yoruichi agreed.

"Just what are you two playing at here?" Rukia was yelling again.

"Calm it down. How about this, we take you back to the Soul Society. Using a way to ensure you aren't traceable. You can see your brother and Renji and make a final decision."

"You'd really...do that...just so I can make a choice."

"Of course, as I said before. Your survival may prove to be useful to me." Urahara shrugged her off. "So, do you want to?"

Rukia nodded.

...

Suprisingly enough, the process was simple. A portal opened and the three of them were in quite quickly. The hard part was waiting for the Serretei to be without a guard long enough for them to sneak in unoticed.

Urahara had all three of them take tablets that seemed to disguise whatever spirit energy they had as null. So when Rukia sat in the same secluded area she had so long ago, she observed the house until Byakyua finally returned. With Renji by his side.

"What is your take on the recent events that have occured within our squad?" Rukia could hear Byakyua asking Renji.

"I have certainly deduced the amount of slacking that has been happening has caused the other squads to look down upon our members." Renji said.

"Yes, and I believe the root cause of this is due to our current liutenant." Byakyua responded.

"Captain Kuchiki?"

"Although the final decsion is up to me. I want you to fight him for his position."

"Captain!"

"While I know killing for a position is tranditonally apart of Kenpachi's squad on entrance. I just want you to fight him to a point he is weak, so as to prove to the other's you are not to be taken lightly as the person Rukia grew up with."

"Captain," Renji said and after a moment of silence said, "As you wish."

Tears fell from Rukia's eyes as she listened. 'Renji, as a liutenatnt? Byakyua is the same as always. So cold and calculating. I can't return. I want to. I want to talk to them so bad, but I can't. I can't talk or look at Reni without getting angry that he had worked so hard for his position, while I am so weak now.' Rukia's thoughts only caused her to cry more.

"I want to leave." She said quitley as she turned to Urahara and Yoruichichi. "I agree, I want to go back to the human world now."

"Are you sure?" Yoruichi asked.

"Yes." Rukia answered.

"Very well then," Urahara got up from the ground and brushed himself off. "Lets go."

...

Rukia looked at herself in the mirror. The gigai, like all others. Held an exact likeness to her.

"While I do have a gigai that could transform a Soul Reaper into a human. I decided not to put you in such a position and I gave you a new design."

"What does this one do?"

"Well, since I absorbed some of the Reiatsu to help you recover more while you are in the human world. WIth a little time you could be able to use Soul Candy to go into Soul Reaper form and perform minor duties. However, if you stay in this form long enough, it'll allow your spirit energy to build up, as long as you don't try to use any spirit cannons that is."

"Why is that."

"Well, as you know-I can't just make your spirit energy go back to max level. So I'm trying to increase it as fast as I can."

"You still haven't told me why you need me." Rukia realized.

"Before I tell you something as confidential as this. I need to ensure you won't go running back to the Soul Society and give us away to big brother Kuchiki."

"You know I can't. No portal, no running away."

"However, I did say I would send you back if you wished it."

"You would? What about your oh so secret confidential information." She teased.

"I would simply seal you from relaying any information that could reveal what happened from the time you were rescued to the point you are home."

"Then why are you being so secretive?"

"Because I don't want to put a seal on you."

Rukia looked away from the man.

"How do I know you haven't already?"

"So many questions."

"Urahara." She warned.

"You would have marks. Undetectable but not unseen. To anyone else they would appear as Tattoos."

"Well thats good to know. Now, are you going to tell me what I will be doing for you or not?" Rukia was getting impatient, growing increasingly tired with the circles the two of them kept traveling in. She waited for Urahara to respond.

Instead he sighed, walked across the room and went to sit at the table in the room and gestured for Rukia to take her place across from him. She did as such and crossed her arms over her chest for what was probably the thousandth time since she had been rescued.

"Well?" She questioned and tensed as he sighed again.

"As unclear as this may seem. I need you to try and belive every amount of information I am about to relay to you." Kisuke talked slowly and didn't continue until he had recieved a nod. "Living in this town, is one Isshin Kurosaki." He paused. Hesitation still clearly written on his face.

"And?" Rukia fished for more.

"He is...a former Soul Reaper."

"Former?"

"Yes. Yes. He faked his death or went rogue or something of the sort. The point is. His location may have been disclosed to someone inside the Soul Society and quite soon he could be getting dragged back or demoted."

"What does this have to do with me? I'm a Soul Reaper too."

"Your role in this is quite elaborate actually."

"Explain."

"We need you to adopt his children."

...

Suffice to say, Rukia's reaction wasn't at all what Kisuke expected. She didn't flip a table or yell or shout in surprise. Instead she stared at his for a second and simple said, "Huh?"

It took a moment, but when she finally did come out of her trance, she started sweating profusley and shaking her hands to cut off whatever Kisuke was going to say next.

"Adopt! Okay, look. I may look like it but I am really not the type to marry some stranger out of gratitude to another. And yes my plan was to start over but this!"

"Marry?"

"Eh." Rukia stopped talking and shuffled away.  
"Please Rukia, just evade any chance of embarrassing yourself and sit quitley as I explain."

Rukia's face turned red as she went back to her position across from Kisuke at the table.

"First of all, no marriage is involved in this. Second of all, ew. Third of all, this is a chance for you to start over and quite frankly. This option may not come to you as easy to agree to. I know. I just need you to listen."

Rukia nodded.

"Isshin and his wife Mikasa had three children together."

"Had?"

"Let me finish. Less than a month ago, Mikasa and their eldest got into an accident. Involving a hollow. It lured the boy, but the mother ended up getting killed protecting him. Isshin is planning on going on the run. To ensure the existence of his children, are not discovered by the Soul Society."

"If you don't mind me asking, why would his children be in any danger in the hands of the Soul Society and I didn't even know you could make a Gigai for growing children."

"That's my point. Mikasas wasn't a Soul Reaper. She was a human who married a Soul Reaper."  
"That's not legal."  
"So you understand. To some parts of the Soul Society, the reproduction between a Soul Reaper and a human being. Is not nessacarily looked upon as a matter held in high esteem. We fear that the Soul Society will not just capture and kill Isshin for his so call misjudgments, but they would do so and either kill or experiment on his children for being abombinations."

"So..."

"You can think about it. For now, I want to you to understand we do not have long until the Soul Society is hovering over us."

"I understand, I...I'll give you my final decision in the morning."

"Thank you."  
...

Rukia had tried to sleep that night. She however, couldn't do so. Both for the fact she was steering her head around the decision she needed to make and the fact she felt so unfamiliar with her surroundings.

With the thought of the latter reason, she decided to go for an evening walk.

It wasn't late enough for the streets to be completley bare, however. The sun had already fled from sight and the only light being produced came from the many street lamps and the half full moon.

As she walked passed an alley, several voices could be heard.

"Hey! Just because your mommy's gone doesn't mean a punk like you won't get beat if he can't respect his elders" A snooty like voice said.

"Yeah." Another voice, just as annoying as the first agreed.

"Get off me!" A smaller voice yelled. "Let me go."

"Nice try!" The first voice spoke again.

Rukia glance in on this conflict. Sure enough, there were two mundanley structured boys. Picking on what seemed to be a smaller boy, with orange hair.

"Can't you defend yourself Kurosaki?" One of the boys asked, pulling on the boys hair.

"Let me go!" The boy tried to tear the other's hand off his head.

'Kurosaki?' Rukia thought.

"I guess he can't. After all. He gets beat by Tatsuki all the time." The two boys laughed, but were soon interuppted as a pipe came flying between the two and ended up impaling the brick wall behind them.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rukia asked them sweetly. In such a way that anyone from the Soul Society, would surely compare to the much beloved but terrifying Capatain Unohana.

"N..nothing." One of the boys stuttered out.

"Ye-yeah...absolutley nothing." The other shouted as they began to flee.

"Of course." She said, smiling.

After a moment, the silence of the alleyway was broken.

"Y-you didn't have to do that y'know." The little boy sniffled.

"Why do you say that?" Rukia asked him.

"Be-because, I'm a big kid and I can protect myself and anyone else!" The boy said.

Rukia smiled at him and leaned down to meet the boy's height.

"I know." She said as she pinched both his cheeks.

He shook her off with a red face.

"You know," Rukia began. "Its not safe to be walking alone at night. Maybe you can walk with me until you get home."

"Why would I do that?" He asked.

"Because, if you didn't. How would I know I'm safe?"

"You could carry that pipe with you." The boy suggested.

Rukia laughed and nodded, "Fair enough." She held her hand out. "Rukia."

The boy glanced at her hand and agreed to shake. "Ichigo." He said.

Rukia glanced at the wall where the pipe was stuck. "Think we'll get in trouble for that?" She laughed.

...

Rukia lay wide awake the next morning. After walking the boy home, she had returned to the shop and was happy to have felt tired enough that she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

At breakfast the next morning, it was only Urahara who sat at the table. Everyone else in the home was not present. Not that Rukia had actually had the chance to meet any of the other inhabitants.

"So?" The man inquired.

"Straight to the point." Rukia observed.

"I know you already made your decision." He stated.

Rukia denied this, but with one look from the man she gave up. "So what if I did."

"I just need to hear you say it aloud." He said.

Rukia sighed, "If need be, I will adopt the Kurosaki children."

Urahara clapped his fan closed and went to open the door. Revealing four figures.

There stood: Isshin Kurosaki, Ichigo, and two small girls.

Isshin bowed his head where he stood. "Thank you for taking my children under your wing. I have already explained to them a few details about why I am leaving."

"Which are?" She needed to make sure she didn't say the wrong thing to the kids.

"To avoid conflict between my children and past associates. I will send money and letters frequently to ensure there are no financial difficulties and our correspondance is not cutoff."

Rukia nodded and looked to the children. Ichigo, was obviously staring at her out of recognition. While the smallest of the children had her face buried in her elder brother's shoulder as she cried.

"Due to the fact the location of their home was revealed as well. You and the children will be moving into a house not far in between this shop and their schools." Yoroichi explained as she entered from behind the man. For once, not in cat form. A fact Rukia did not oblige herself to explore. Instead, she leaned down onto the floor like the night before. Meeting the height of the children as she had done the night before.

"I've already had the courtesy of meeting Ichigo, so can I know your names?" She requested the two young girls.

"Karin Kurosaki," One of the girls, one with darker hair introduced herself, "and this is my twin Yuzu." She gestured to the blonde who had her face buried into Ichigo's shoulder.

Rukia already understood which of the children she needed to earn the trust of. Ichigo already experinaced her help and Karin seemed to be hiding the tears she had for her family. Yuzu however, was the most fragile. Not a month ago she lost her mother and now she was going to lose her only parent to a series of precautions to be taken for a problem she was not able to understand.

"Hello, Yuzu. My name is Rukia." She introduced herself. The girl's hold on her brother loosened as she looked at the woman.

"Hi." She greeted and went back to holding her brother's hand. Rukia smiled, knowing at the moment that was all she was going to get out of the little girl.

"Isshin." She aknowledged, getting up from the floor. "What is my apparent relation to the children?" She asked quitely.

"Family friend." He replied just as silently.

She nodded and looked to the other's in the room. "So when are we doing this?" She asked the other grown ups in the room.

"Now actually." Isshin told her.

"Oh." She said.

"We're going to finish moving everything into the new house and then you and the kids can begin living there starting tonight. I will be leaving tomorrow morning before you guys wake up." Isshin informed her.

"Right." Rukia nodded, everything still felt unreal to her at the moment.

With the end of the converstation all of the people in the room were ushered out of the living room, through the shop, and towards the new house.

To be continued in the next chapter...


	3. Chapter 3

I do not claim ownership of Bleach, its characters, or its original plot/story line.

"Ichigo! Don't stray too far." Rukia called to the boy from the porch of the house.

She and the children had lived in the house for almost a month. As promised, Isshin wrote regularly using an alias and money was sent more often.

Over the past month, Urahara and Yoruichi had taken many measures to prepare Rukia for the many responsibilites she had to take over.

She had learned all about taxes, citizenship, the laws, and the various jobs she could take if she so wished.

When it came to actually watching the kids, the nice neighborhood made things easier. Yuzu preferred to spend her time helping with housework and doing simple sewing patterns. While Karin liked to play in the yard with a kids soccer ball or a plastic bat. Ichigo, Rukia noticed, was the one would stray from the house often. While he did have fighting lessons in the afternoon, he still liked to travel around the park and goof off with Tatsuki.

The fact she had so much free time only slightly disturbed Rukia, she had realized soon after her and the kids had moved on what all of their routines had been. She had even realized the real reason their was such a large space on the bottom floor of the house.

It wasn't just a house really.

The place had been bought by Isshin before he knew he would have to leave, that being said. His clinic was supposed to move with them.

Rukia had begun her goal of setting up the place as a Book shop. She made contact with Yoruichi on what she had planned to do and the rest had become particularly easy.

In less than a week she would have a second income and what hopefully could be a way for her to occupy more of her time for when she didn't have anything else to do.

"Orihime, don't stray." Rukia heard a voice give the same orders she had just given her own little minion.

"Hai," A girls voice called back.

Rukia looked out onto the street where a man was following a small child. Perhaps having felt eyes on him he looked up. In doing so he turned to face Rukia who didn't bother to look away. The man called the child over and held her hand as he walked up to the house fence.

"Hi, this is Orihime my little sister and I am Sora Inoue. We live just across the street." He spoke happily.

Rukia couldn't help but smile at the man.

"Rukia." She shook his hand.

"So, is it just you. Or do you have kids as well."

"Oh. Um...my two girls are inside. My son just went to play with his friends."

"So you?"

"Adopted."

"Ah."

"So," She changed conversation. "Is Sora your daddy Orihime-chan."

"No, he's my older brother."

"Lucky him."

Orhime laughed and whispered something to her brother. He nodded as he listened. Allowing Orihime to hand Rukia a small flower and began to skip slowly to the play ground.

"Sorry, but I'm going to have to chase her down." He smiled sheepishly.

"Understandable. If you see a boy with orange hair. Let him know he should come back for lunch."

"Sure."

With that Sora left, leaving Rukia to think happily on how she may have just made her first friend in the human world who was not already connected to all of that Soul Reaper buisness.

To be continued in the next chapter...

Yep. Yes I did.


	4. Chapter 4

"Put your left foot back." Rukia told Ichigo. "Now, when you think you're going to get hit-hold your hand up like this." She positioned her hands for Ichiogo to imitate. "Now..begin!"

Ichigo complained yet again about his constant loss to Tatsuki. Well complaining wasn't the right word. Instead, for the fifth time Rukia happened upon older kids from his fighting class picking on him for losing to a girl.

Sexist comments by the children aside, Rukia wasn't going to let him walk around defenceless.

Ichigo had already shown alot of promise in his studies and in out of school activites.

She had talked it over in her head for weeks and even asked Sora for advice.

Finally, she decided she'd just ask Ichigo if he liked the idea. As it turned out, Ichigo was exstatic.

Not only was she allowing him to take the class with Tatsuki, but she also signed him up for fencing classes and was giving him her own self-defence strategies.

In less than a week after, Ichigo had completley warmed up to the strange woman he had met a month ago.

Karin was just happy to have a female around who wouldn't make Yuzu do all the cooking and cleaning as much as the little girl enjoyed household duties.

Rukia's only problem now was getting said little girl to talk to her.

It had been a month and Yuzu had barely said one word that wasn't "yes ma'am" or "thank you".

When she talked to Sora about that he said, "She's probably just shy. You know she likes household duties...you can teach her how to sew?"

Rukia rolled her eyes, "I want her to like me, not be bought over."

"Its isn't nessacarily buying her over, its more like your just meeting her interests."

Rukia sighed at that, "Even if that is the truth..." She blushed. "I'm actually not very good at that stuff.."

Sora thought for a moment, "I heard there is a class going on at the arts and crafts store- maybe you could take Yuzu there and see if she likes it."

Rukia sighed as she excused Ichigo at the end of their lesson and watched him as he ran after Tatsuki who was standing outside the fence.

Rukia went inside and nodded to herself in thought as walked upstairs and knocked on the door to the twin's room and waited for permission to enter.

Growing up herself-she knew privacy was a prized thing for any human being.

Yuzu opened the door herself, "Hai?" She said, welcoming the woman in to sit on her bed.

"Yuzu," Rukia began. "You know how rowdy your sibling are right?"

Yuzu nodded.

Rukia smiled at her, "Well- I've been having an issue with how easily they tear their clothes up and I was thinking about taking a class on sewing."

The woman pretended not to notice the flicker of interest in the little girl's eye. Rukia continued to speak, "I was wondering if you wanted to come along and learn too?"

Yuzu eyes cast down, "I'm sorry." She sniffled.

Rukia frowned. "What's wrong?" The woman was worried.

"Momma already taught me." The little girl said.

'Oh,' Rukia thought in understanding. "That's okay Yuzu-" She stopped, then smiled. "How about you teach me then-only if you want to."

Yuzu stopped crying then and nodded.

Rukia smiled at the little girl. "But for now...how about you and me go to the store and get ingredients to make something tonight?"

The little girl who loved cooking nodded eagerly at this idea.

Inwardly gasping for air, Rukia held the girls hand as they went downstairs to put their shoes on and went into town.

Ichigo was being watched by Tatsuki's parents and Karin was so eager to play little league.

Rukia hoped the social and activiness of the two older siblings would somehow rub off on the youngest at least a little bit.

"So what do you think we should make?" Rukia asked the little girl.

Yuzu thought for a second then grinned. "Cake."

"Cake?"

Yuzu nodded.

"For dinner?"

Yuzu nodded again.

"Your the boss." Rukia laughed.

Walking into the store, Yuzu pointed out that Sora was standing in the vegtable aisle.

With a nudge from the youngest Kurosaki girl- Rukia was greeting the man.

"So the sewing plans didn't work out?" He inquired.

Rukia blushed. "As it turns out- I've already got a master stuffed animal maker under my roof." Yuzu's face flushed.

"What about you?" She asked the man.

Sora laughed, "Well I happen to have the girl with the strangest of tastebuds living under my roof. "Have you ever heard of someone putting peanut butter in rice?"

Rukia laughed, "I guess that'd be Orihime,"

Yuzu stared at the two's interaction. 'Did they like each other?' She thought.

Glancing from behind the shopping cart, Orihime was nervously toying with the ends of her hair. From the looks of it, the two girl's had just about the same idea.

The two grownups had begun to walk together as they shopped. Yuzu was put inside the cart because of her tendency to wander. Orihime walked along side the cart as she talked to the little girl.

"Do you think they like each other?" Yuzu asked quitley.

Orhime nodded, "Yes, I mean - big brother never flirts."

"What's flirt?" Yuzu asked innocently.

"Its something two people do when they like each other-or sometimes not."

Yuzu nodded. "So like Ichigo and Tatsuki!"

Orihime visibly tensed. "No- I dont' think that's-"

"How could they not be- I mean they spend every day with each other- whether or not they have school or fighting classes."

Orihime's head fell at that.

Yuzu glanced at the older girl curiously. "Is something wrong Orhime-chan?" 

All the girl could do was blush to herself as she shook her head.

They didn't talk much after that, the conversation between Sora and Rukia had become much more interesting to the two children.

"Making a cake?" Sora said.

"Yes, accoding to Yuzu-we have to have it for dinner!" Rukia laughed.

The man nodded along to this thought, "Well," he said. "How about we join foces tonight."

"Oh?"

"Orhime and I will come tonight and take over the job of making regular and healthy food. While you and Yuzu make that cake." Sora suggested.

"That'd be great," Rukia said. "Although I am finding it hard to keep Ichigo and Orhime in the same room."

Sora glanced at his little sister. "Why's that?" He asked.

"I don't know- she just gets even more shy than usual and tries to avoid him.."

Rukia's naievety aside, Sora found this information extremely entertaining.

His little sister had her first crush!

"Well I guess we'll have to fix that won't we?" Sora joked. "Is five okay?"

Rukia nodded. "See you then."

The two adults seperated with their respective children and went on their way shopping.

"Rukia-san." Yuzu said.

"Yes Yuzu?"

"You do realize you just agreed to a date right?"

"What!" Rukia looked at the young girl.

To be continued in the next chapter...


	5. Chapter 5

Suffice to say, Rukia was nervous. She had never even thought about dating, let alone had she ever accidentally propositioned a man to meet her whole family. Well - her whole "new" family, but that was beside the point. She could only imagine the train wreck that would ensue with her introducing him to her old family back in the Soul Society. Renji would've probably killed him -Byakuya might've frowned, but not told his feelings, and executed him on the spot or something of the sort.

'Crap, I'm dwelling.' She scolded herself, shaking her thoughts away as she helped Yuzu set the table.

"Maybe we should sit Orihime next to Ichigo?" Rukia suggested it as a question to the little girl who was trying to work out an agreeable seating arrangement.

It had already been established an hour ago that Orihime had an adorable crush on Ichigo.

Yuzu practically squealed when Rukia explained her findings. That was the first time Yuzu showed so much positive emotion to Rukia, so she indulged her in her childish wonder at the prospect of Orihime being a real princess that has come to find her prince.

Ruke did however, have to lightly put a foot down on Yuzu begging her to let them get married. They were just babies! No- Ichigo wasn't getting married anytime soon!

"OF COURSE THEY'RE SITTING NEXT TO EACH OTHER!" Yuzu hollered with a giggle. "BIG BROTHER ICHIGO SHOULD DEFINITELY SIT NEXT TO HIS PRINCESS!"

Rukia could only smile as she watched her adoptive daughter go back into an adorable rant about wedding arrangements that she has to make in the next ten years.

A knock sounded at the door and Rukia jumped as she came back to her original thoughts. Yuzu beat her to it!

"Sora's here for his date with Rukia!" She yelled joyously, bouncing out of the kitchen to answer the door.

"Yuzu!" Rukia yelled in embarrassment.

Not a minute later and Yuzu had already invited the family of two in, courteously offering to show them where to put the food dishes they had made.

Orihime beat her brother to it and followed the younger girl around the kitchen, following her instructions as they were given. Leaving Rukia and Sora, who no doubt heard Yuzu's chant as well, to stand opposite each other with equally red faces.

"Date?" Sora spoke first.

"Yuzu seems to think that's what this is." Rukia answered.

"Oh."

"Yeah." Rukia looked away. "I should go get Ichigo and Karin. They're just outside." She walked away without pausing to listen for a response. Instead walking through the living room and sliding a door open to call into the back yard.

"Ichigo! Karin!" She called. "Dinners ready!"

Dinner went off without a hitch surprisingly. Aside from Rukia and Sora's original shyness - the two adults had easily warmed back into polite and friendly banter without trouble. Something about him having to explain Orihime's tastebud habits.

It was by the end of the night when the two families were washing up together that Sora brought Yuzu's word slip back up.

"So a date?" He asked from beside Rukia, politely assisting her at cleaning the dishes.

The blush from before returned instantly.

"Yu-..Yuzu is pretty imaginative isn't she? Rukia laughed awkwardly.

"I would agree, but that would imply its impossible." Sora stated calmly.

"Huh?"

"I mean- if I wanted to get you to go on a date- I know you're a mom and the easiest thing would be to bring the kids up-but I would actually like to take you somewhere." Sora smiled.

"What!" Rukia was stuttering. "I've ne-never…"

"Dated? I sort of caught that. Not that you don't seem like you could date someone - but we're in our twenties and you blush at innocent suggestions from you daughter."

Rukia's blush deepened. She had never dated in the soul society because of Byakua's family and a certain brain-dead prodigy that couldn't see past his zanpakto.

Back to Sora.

"So I guess I'll see you next Friday?" He suggested.

"What?"

"I can have Orihime's babysitter watch your kids too, and I can finally take you to see our town."

Rukia oddly had no feelings compelling her to say no.

"N-...I.." She sighed. "I'd like to."

Her answer brought a bright smile to the man's face.

Sounding in beside them, "You're going to get married! You're going to have babies! Can I be a bridesmaid? No-I mean a flower girl."

"Hey kid!" Rukia scolded.

Sora just laughed and knelt down to the little girl. "Let's wait until after the date, then we'll see how your mom fairs."

Yuzu looked up at Rukia, "Don't mess up! I still have to wait until Orihime and Ichigo are old enough to get married!"

Sora looked at Rukia. "Explanation?"

"I thought they'd be cute together…" She laughed.

He shook his head, "Yuzu" he began. "Don't tell your brother about Orihime's crush on him-"

"Why not?"

"He needs to figure it out himself before he's allowed to date her. Preferably in their last year of high school. Or even after college!"

Yuzu conceded, looking Rukia in the eye she said, "I want to be a flower girl."

Rukia wondered then and there what she got herself into.

End Scene.


End file.
